Universal fitting for shock absorbers



Jan. 24, 1928.

UNIVERSAL FITTING FOR SHOCK ABSORBERS Filed April 9, 1924 Patented Jan.24, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JACOB R. SNYDER, .0F CLEVELAND, OHO, ASSIGNOR TO THE ySTAR REBOUND; CON-TROLLER COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

UNIVERSAL FITTING FOR SHOCK ABSORBERS.

Application led April 9, 1924. Serial No. 705,178.

rlhis invention relates to a. universal fitting for shock absorbers ofthe rebound controlling type, and has for its object to do away with thenecessity of a large number of littings to adapt the shock absorbers tothe chassis 'frames of' diflerent makes of cars, and to provide what maybe aptly termed a universal fitting which will be suitable forpractically all cars, and which can be accommodated to the varyinglocation of' the drilled holes in the chassis frames, which holes arecommonly provided in the frames when the cars are constructed so astoadapt them to be equipped with shock absorbers.

ln accordance with my invention I provide a iitting of such a naturethat it permitsthe shock absorbers to be secured to the chassis frameregardless of the height or location of theopenings provided therefor,and .to be oif'set vertically or laterally with respect to the openingsto clear parts of the motor vehicle.

it is a further feature of the invention that the fitting permits theshock absorber as a whole to be turned to enable the strap struction,and combinations and arrange' ments oit parts which will be described inthe specification and set forth in the appended claims. i y

In the accomlianying sheet of drawings wherein I have shown thepreierredembodiment of the invention, Fig. l is a sectional view showing a shockabsorber ap plied to theside member of a chassis trame with the framemember and fittingin section and with a portion of the shock absorber'broken away; Fig. 2 is a similar view but omitting the shock absorberand show ing the parts of the fitting in a different position withrespect to the frame member than illustrated in Fig.` 15Fig. 3 is ahorizontal sectional view through the frame member and showing thefittingoccupying still another position with respect `to the chassis-frame; and Fig. 4 is an inside face view of the same showinghow thefitting may be inclincd with respect to the chassisiframe.

Referring now to the drawings, l0 repre-` sents the side member of achassis frame, which member is as usual in the form of a channel. Thetwo opposite side members in common automobile constructions faceinwardly and they constitute the supports to which the shock absorbersare attached.

yThe shock -absorbers with which my improved fitting is designed to beused, are of the rebound controlling type, many forms of' which are incommon use. They include a main or body member which is designed to beattached to the chassis frame member 10, and a strap which extends fromthe body member to the axle, either front or rear, these shockabsorbers, as is well known, being generally supplied in sets of four,two -for the rear axle and two for the front axle.

The details oi the shock absorbers are immaterial to my invention, butthey generally include a stationary casing, a fixed center' bolt whichis attached to the chassis trame member by a suitable fitting having adesign, shape or size dependent upon the make of car, and a strap whichis pulled into and out ot the casing, i. e. coiled and funcoiled, due torelative motion between the chassis frame and axle.

In the shock absorber illustrated, the casing is shown at 10a, thiscasing and the other parts of the body portion of the shock absoi-berbeing supported by the center bolt ll which in turn is secured to thechassisframe member l0 by the iitting to be described. In this instance,the casing encloses a drum l2, arranged to rotate about the center bolt,and adapted to have the strap 13 wound onto vand unwound from it. W iththis construction, a spring,not shown, is adapted to turn the drum so asto wind in the strap, and the drum is turned in the reverse direction bythe pull on the strap during the rebound stroke, at which time rotationof the drum is suitably resisted. Any other principle of shock absorbermay, however, be employed.

Taking up now the fitting, it will be ob served that it comprises twomain members, to-wit, a nut la and a U-shaped member l5.

The nut le is screwed onto a reduced threaded portion 1la of the centerbolt and is secured on the center bolt tight against the adjacent sideof the casing which is here shown as inset or concaved inwardly. Thisnut has serrations 14 formed on its outer lill face in order that `goodclamping engagienient may be formed between it and the U-shaped member15.

The U-shaped member l5 is provided with two parallel arms 15n and lojoined by a. base portion l5" at right angles thereto. VThese arms areoit unequal lengths, and they are provided respeetiveljf with elongatedslots l5 and le. rlhe shorter arm la is adapted to be clamped againstthe inner i'aee ot the web oit the channel hv a bolt it pas ing throughan opening iltb in the 'traine member and through the elongated slot 1.5olz arm l5, and the relatively long' arm b oi' member l5 is adapted tobe clamped solidly against the serrated il'aee lel1 ot meniber l--l by anut. 1T screwed onto a second reduced and threaded part lil" oit therenter bolt, which part extends through the slot 150 oit arm 15b.

It will be apparent i'roni Fin'. il that. the slot l5 enables thelitting' to aeeoinnnnlatn various heights ot the drilled openinn" itt.whieh as ljielore dated, is ron'nnonly jirovided in the chassis 'iframemembers when the car is built. Genmfallv Thi-se holes are drilled in thechassis 'traine inenibeis ai a height suitable. :[or a given inalie oishoeh absorbert but this tilting by virtue ot the slot l5 perniits tl ,sapplication oit other maires ot shocli absorbers than the j iartieularshock absorber 'tor which the holes were drilled.

Likewise, it will be apparent that the shock absorber can be o'llset.verticallyr bjy moving the center bolt alone; the slot l ot the long;larm 15" and bj' clamping arm 15d to the serrated. 'tace ot the nut withthe sheer absorber at any given height.

Furthermore, it Will be seen by reiter-ence to Figs. 2 and 4, that. theU-shajied member majY be inverted, as shown in` Fig. f2, or supported inl'iorizontal position as shown in Fig. t5, or in inclined position asshown in Figi'. 4l. This adjustabilitv in the mounting ot member on thecha.. is trame, together `with the provision ot clone: :ed slots.liartieularlv the slot i5", and the :uljnstabilitv ot the eenter boltalonen it, jierinit aniy desired vertical or lateral otllsettin.;y oithe shoelr absorber which may be necessary to enable the strap to clearparts ot the ear.

Another ad Tantage ot a. litter composed ot two parts such as the. partlet with its serrated lace and the part l5 to be clamped to it, is thatno particular or given angular relationship is required between theparts la; and l5 tor the clamping engagement, but the part; lf can beturned relative to the part l5 and the same clamping' engagement ob!tained. rlhis enables the shock absorbe' as a Whole to be turned or tobe given an angular adjustment so that the opening; in the casing l0through which the strap extends can face in any direction. Olnfiousljrthis permits the strap to be extended out from the casing at anydesired. angle Without the neeessil ot adjusting the casing relatire tothe other parts et the body portion of the shoelr absorber.

It 'will be seen, therefore, that l have pro vided a very usr-'taliinjnfoveiraflit in shoel: absorber tilting` the latter adapt a shoclrabsorber tor 'nraeticalljr all maires ot cars, and jieriiiits it to beattached in the most ellective manner, or in the best possible 13osition, and the necersity tor a large number ot tittiirgs, whichherntotore have been required to adajit anjY malte o oeh' absorber todillerent styles and inalqes oit ears, enti reljv a i' oi d ed.

lllhile l have slunifn ont',7 the jnel'erred construetion, 'i do not.desire to be eoniined to the errar-.t details shown, but aim in myclaims to cover all inoiliiieritions which do not involve a departrn'e'from the spirit and scope ol. my invention.

Having described my invention, I claire:

l.. In combination with a shock absorber. a tilting hv which it majr beseeuri'al to the chassis :traine et a motor vehicle, said littinggcomprising a litting; member carried by the shock absorber', a secondlitting mein ber adapted to be secured to the chassis traine, said twoiitting members being adapted to be clamped together, and means itersecuring` said second titting',r member to the trame in different.positions ot angular a dj u stment.

2. In combination with a shoelr absorber, a fitting;l by Whieh it majTbe secured to the chassis .trarne ot a motor vohiele, eonijirising1 aiitting n'iember carried by the shock absorber', a second fittingrmember adajited to be secured to a` chassis ironie, said fittinginemljaers being relatively linearly adjustable, nieans for clampingsaid fitting membe together, and imlependent means 'tor .i urine' .saidseeond tittingij nieniher lo tintraine.

il. ln combination with a shoelt ahsorlii a litting i`or se 1 "no thesaine to the. elias. frame ol` a motor vehiele, said litting oomprisinig tuo nielnlnnfs, one carried by the .shock absorber and theother ada jited to be secured to the chassis traine, :said members beingrelatively adjustable linear-ljY and an gularlv, means iter clampingsaid i'i'iembers together in any Igiven adjusted position, andindependent means :tor scouring the seernnl mentioned member to saidtrarne.

Li. In combination with a. shook absorber, a` fitting;r for securingrthe same to a chassis iframe and comprising' tivo members, one carriedbv the shocli: absorlnr and the other adapted to be secured to thechassis trame, one ot said members having a slot along which the othermay be adjusted, means for Clamping the two members together in anyadjusted posit-ion, and independent means tlf) for securing the secondmentioned member to said frame.

5. In combination with a shock absorber, a fitting for securingthe sameto the chassis frame and comprising a member adapted to be angularlyadjusted with respect tothe chassis frame, means for securing saidmeinber to the chassis frame in any adjusted position, and independentmeans for securing the member to the shock absorber.

6. In combination with a shock absorber, a fitting for securing the sameto the chassis framecomprising a substantially U-shaped member having anarm adapted to be secured to the shock absorber and having a slotted armadapted to bel secured to the chassis frame, and separate means forsecuring said arms to said shock absorber and to said frame.

7. In combination with a shock absorber, a fitting for securing the sameto the chassis frame comprising a member having two slotted arms, andattaching members extending through said slots for adjustably securingone of said arms to the chassis frame and the other to the shockabsorber.

8. In (,'ombination with a shock absorber,

a fitting for securing the same to the chassis frame comprising twomembers, one carried by the shock absorber and the other adapted to besecured to the chassis frame, said two members being relativelyadjustable, means for securing them together in any desired relativeadjusted position, and separate means for adjustably securing the secondmentioned member to the chassis frame.

9. In combination with a shock absorber, a fitting for securing the sameto the chassis frame and comprising two members, one carried by theshock absorber and the other adapted to be secured to the chassis frame,said two members being relatively adjustable both angularly andlinearly, means for clamping said members together in any relativeadjusted position, and the member which is designed to be secured to thechassis frame being adjustable angularly with respect thereto, and meansindependent of the first mentioned means for securing it to the chassisin any angularly adjusted posii'ion.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aiiix my signature.

JACOB R. SNYDER.

